302 THOMAS BEWICK. 



landers. The company dispersed at any early hour, and when I parted 

 from Bewick that night, I parted from a friend. 



A few days after this I received another note from him, which I read 

 hastily, having with me at the moment many persons examining my draw- 

 ings. This note having, as I understood it, intimated his desire that I 

 should go and dine with him that day, I accordingly went ; but judge of 

 my surprise when, on arriving at his house at 5 o''clock, with an appetite 

 becoming the occasion, I discovered that I had been invited to tea and 

 not to dinner. However, the mistake was speedily cleared up to the sa- 

 tisfaction of all parties, and an abundant supply of eatables was placed on 

 the table. The Reverend William Turner joined us, and the evening 

 passed delightfully. At first our conversation was desultory and multi- 

 farious, but when the table was removed, Bewick took his seat by the 

 fire, and we talked of our more immediate concerns. In due time we 

 took leave, and returned to our homes, pleased with each other and with 

 our host. 



Having been invited the previous evening to breakfast with Bewick 

 at 8, I revisited him at that hour on the 16th April, and found the whole 

 family so kind and attentive that I felt quite at home. The good gentle- 

 man, after breakfast, soon betook himself to his labours, and began to 

 shew me, as he laughingly said, how easy it was to cut wood ; but I soon 

 saw that cutting wood in his style and manner was no joke, although to 

 him it seemed indeed easy. His delicate and beautiful tools were all 

 made by himself, and I may with truth say that his shop was the only 

 artist's " shop" that I ever found perfectly clean and tidy. In the course 

 of the day Bewick called upon me again, and put down his name on my 

 list of subscribers in behalf of the Literary and Philosophical Society of 

 Newcastle. In this, however, his enthusiasm had misled him, for the 

 learned body for which he took upon himself to act, did not think proper 

 to ratify the compact. 



Another invitation having come to me from Gatehead, I found my 

 good friend seated in his usual place. His countenance seemed to me to 

 beam with pleasure as he shook my hand. " I could not bear the idea," 

 said he, " of your going off, without telling you, in written words, what 

 I think of your Birds of America. Here it is in black and white, and 

 make of it what use you may, if it be of use at all." I put the unsealed 

 letter in my pocket, and we chatted on subjects connected with natural 



